Transmigrated as the Short-Lived White Moonlight, I Ended Up Happily Ever After With the Female Lead - Chapter 12

“How have you been lately, Yan’an?” The Empress Dowager pulled Ji Yan’an closer, placing the girl’s small hand inside her own large one.

Ji Yan’an feigned distress and put on a tearful expression, saying, “Yan’an doesn’t dare sleep alone anymore. As soon as I close my eyes, all I see are scenes of myself in the water!” This statement was partially true, but after her masterful exaggeration, even Madam Ji below felt heartbroken watching her.

The Empress Dowager had already learned about Ji Yan’an’s drowning incident when Madam Ji sent someone to the palace to summon the imperial physician. Seeing Ji Yan’an’s teary, almond-shaped eyes now only intensified her concern.

“Have you tracked down who was responsible for the harm?” Just as Ji Yan’an expected, the Empress Dowager asked this question. Her old, cloudy eyes were filled with concern for the person who shared the same bloodline as her. Tears genuinely slipped from the corners of Ji Yan’an’s eyes, outlining her small face.

The current Empress Dowager’s family was Madam Ji’s family, and Ji Yan’an was the only maternal granddaughter of the Ji family, cherished by the entire household, including the Empress Dowager.

Watching Ji Yan’an cry, the Empress Dowager felt even more distressed. She took her embroidered handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears. “Don’t cry, Yan’an. Tell this old woman whatever grievances you have!”

The initially cheerful atmosphere instantly froze. The serving matrons dared not breathe loudly, and Song Yi also frowned, looking at the small figure standing before the Empress Dowager, feeling an inexplicable heaviness in her heart.

Everyone waited for Ji Yan’an to speak, but she released the Empress Dowager’s hand, retreated to the steps below the main seat, and suddenly knelt down.

This string of actions startled the Empress Dowager, who quickly started to go down and help her up. Before the Empress Dowager could rise, Ji Yan’an spoke in a loud voice, “Yan’an was harmed, yet remains unable to seek revenge for herself! If it weren’t for Song Yi’s rescue, Yan’an would probably be in the netherworld right now!”

Ji Yan’an became more agitated as she spoke, the hairpins on her head shaking violently. It looked like she was about to kowtow and beg the Empress Dowager to dispense justice. Song Yi ignored the Empress Dowager, rushed forward to support the kneeling Ji Yan’an, and, with a cold expression, pulled her to her feet.

“You don’t need to kowtow to anyone,” Song Yi uttered, though she didn’t know if Ji Yan’an heard her.

The Empress Dowager noticed the unfamiliar face and asked, not having clearly heard what Song Yi said, “Are you Song Yi?”

Ji Yan’an allowed Song Yi to support her. Song Yi curtsied slightly and replied, “This one is indeed the daughter of a convicted official, Song Yi. Your Majesty need not worry.”

Hearing the words “daughter of a convicted official,” Ji Yan’an’s heart skipped a beat. In the original book, Song Yi’s parents were implicated and sentenced to death on false charges of destroying military rations because they offended the family of Noble Consort Liu. They were not actual convicted officials.

Ji Yan’an unconsciously gripped Song Yi’s sleeve tightly with her small hand and looked up at her. Song Yi’s expression hadn’t changed; she still looked calm and aloof.

The Empress Dowager did not involve herself in politics and cared nothing for what crime Song’s father had committed. All she knew was that Song Yi had saved Ji Yan’an.

“Yan’an is the only maternal granddaughter of my family. By saving her, you have saved me. You no longer need to call yourself the daughter of a convicted official. You will also be rewarded with one thousand taels of gold.”

“Yes.” Song Yi only replied with a single word, not even offering a word of thanks. She helped Ji Yan’an sit down beside her, her face revealing no emotion.

Madam Ji, seeing her daughter’s effective actions, was equally unwilling to be outdone. In a few sentences, she also informed the Empress Dowager about the Imperial Concubine Dowager causing trouble at their mansion. The Imperial Concubine Dowager and the Empress Dowager were already at odds, so this gave the Empress Dowager a handle to use. With a single look, the matron beside the Empress Dowager knew what to do.

It was so warm inside the hall that it made people sleepy. The Empress Dowager and Madam Ji chatted casually. Ji Yan’an finally stopped crying and leaned against Song Yi, about to fall asleep.

Just at that moment, a eunuch rushed in, whispered a few words into the Empress Dowager’s ear, conveying that Noble Consort Liu of the Palace of Eternal Peace wished to meet Song Yi, the one who had saved Ji Yan’an’s life.

The Empress Dowager nodded, told the eunuch to leave first, and, after popping a grape into her mouth, said, “Yi’er, Noble Consort Liu of the Palace of Eternal Peace wants to see you.”

Upon hearing this, Song Yi woke Ji Yan’an up and slowly rose to leave. The awakened girl rubbed her eyes and softly asked, “Hmm… Where are you going?”

“Noble Consort Liu has summoned me.” Song Yi unconsciously softened her voice. She truly hadn’t expected the little one to cry upon entering the palace today, and all for the sake of clearing her name.

No sooner had she spoken than Ji Yan’an, whose face was still sleepy, was instantly alerted. She quickly sat upright. “I’m going with you! You can’t go alone!!”

Song Yi looked at Ji Yan’an’s frightened expression, as if Noble Consort Liu were some kinds of great beast, and immediately understood something.

“I…” Song Yi was about to say that she was prepared and nothing would happen, but Ji Yan’an didn’t let her finish. She grabbed her hand and ran outside.

Madam Ji and the Empress Dowager were left staring at each other.

“Children these days, they are all so lively,” Madam Ji said with a wry smile.

“Why did you insist on coming with me?” A eunuch led the way for Song Yi, and beside her was the hyper-alert Ji Yan’an.

Song Yi did not know, but how could Ji Yan’an not know? Noble Consort Liu was the mastermind who harmed Song Yi’s parents. The Liu family’s influence was not to be underestimated. If anything, truly happened, the Empress Dowager would never risk a complete fallout with the Liu family for the sake of one Song Yi.

The only way was for Ji Yan’an to go along. If the situation turned sour, as long as Ji Yan’an threatened her own life, the situation could surely be reversed.

“I want to protect you. No one is allowed to bully you!” Ji Yan’an couldn’t tell the complete truth, so she could only state her plan firmly. Since transmigrating, Ji Yan’an had come to understand that Song Yi, the seemingly cold and solitary female lead, actually possessed a strong, unyielding character and great ambitions.

Ji Yan’an had pushed away the scummy male lead who could have helped her, and the way to compensate was for Ji Yan’an herself to use her maximum capabilities. At least… to protect her from being bullied.

It was unclear if the eunuch ahead heard Ji Yan’an’s words. In any case, the two followed the eunuch through winding paths, and when they looked up and saw the plaque that read “Palace of Eternal Peace,” they knew they had arrived.

Since they were in the palace and not a private residence, neither Ji Yan’an nor Song Yi had maidservants following them, so they moved quickly.

As Ji Yan’an walked along the palace pathway, she hadn’t had a good look earlier. Now that there were few people, she began to look around again…

The dark-green tiles and red walls of the palace were now covered with white snow, which lessened the vulgarity of its inexpressible grandeur.

At the main vermillion gate of the Palace of Eternal Peace, two mighty stone lions stood guard on either side. Guards patrolled and stood sentry on both sides of the long palace road, all in an orderly manner.

After waiting briefly at the entrance, the eunuch who went in to report quickly ran out, enthusiastically inviting Song Yi and Ji Yan’an to enter.

As they walked, he kept complimenting Ji Yan’an’s beauty. Ji Yan’an just lowered her head and smiled. Wasn’t flattery what palace people were best at?

Song Yi walked beside Ji Yan’an. Although she was in no way inferior, no one dared to step forward to flatter her. The daughter of a convicted official was not someone they could casually praise.

Having spent a long time in the inner palace, the maidservants and eunuchs were all shrewd. Ji Yan’an disdained to stoop to their level, and Song Yi felt the same.